Cleveland Guardians: Best and worst of April

April's Best for the Cleveland Guardians: Josh Naylor and Steven Kwan showcasing elite talent

Coming into the season, everyone knew that the only way the Cleveland Guardians were going to bounce back from 2023's disaster was if they were able to get meaningful production from players not named Jose Ramirez. Enter Josh Naylor and Steven Kwan. This dynamic duo has gotten off to a hot start in April and has been a huge factor in Cleveland's early season success.

Naylor is slashing .282/.361/.553 with seven doubles, and seven home runs with 24 runs driven in. The 27-year-old is well on his way to a fantastic season that should see him attain the levels of production that everyone knew he was capable of, but a few injuries along the way have prevented him from reaching. 

Kwan currently leads the American League in hits (42) and runs (27), showcasing his ability to set the offensive tone from the start for the Guardians as their leadoff hitter. Kwan's .350/.395/.483 slash line so far is very impressive, as it has contributed to an 155 OPS+ through the first month-plus of the season. It certainly appears that Kwan has taken that next step forward in his development as a major league hitter, and it is paying dividends for the Guardians.